Have you ever felt sad or lacklustre towards the end of the year? This is a phenomenon called holiday stress.
Holiday stress is something that many people experience.
In fact, this has also been studied by psychology experts.
The reason is that the range of stress or sadness experienced by people can be different, ranging from mild to severe depression.
Therefore, let’s understand more about this so we know what to do if it happens to us!
What is Holiday Stress?
Holiday stress is the stress or negative feelings a person feels around the end of the year.
Quoting U.S. News, the American Psychological Association has conducted a survey.
The survey found that 53% of respondents felt stressed during the holiday.
The reason is that there is pressure or necessity to do everything possible for Christmas, New Year, vacation, and other events.
As we all know, the end of the year is often the only time to gather with family and have fun.
However, this requires a lot of spending.
There’s also the pressure to make everyone happy.
Yet, things sometimes go differently than planned.
Not only that but we are often expected to stay in a happy mood.
This overzealous effort can lead to the opposite result.
The end of the year is generally a busy time for many companies, so work pressure is higher.
All of these things lead to holiday stress that needs to be avoided.
The feeling of stress at this specific time is not only experienced by adults.
Children can feel it, too.
Perhaps, even if you don’t experience this, you can pay attention to those around you and help them if they show signs of it.
Signs of Holiday Stress
According to Healthline, holiday stress is a phenomenon that affects not only the psychological but also the psychic.
So, here are some of the signs:
These signs are common and may mean something else.
However, focus on when a person experiences them and whether their behaviour differs from usual.
How to Anticipate Holiday Stress
To prevent this from happening to you, there are a few things you can do long before the holiday season arrives.
These things can help you plan for the end of the year, reduce stress, and manage your finances well.
1. Make a plan
Holiday and year-end activities can be overwhelming.
Therefore, the way to avoid holiday stress is to plan.
Make a list of activities you and your family want to do before the new year.
Then, ensure each activity is broken down into a more detailed schedule.
For example, you want to vacation to city A and eat with your extended family.
Well, make a precise itinerary.
Then, decide where to eat that is suitable for your family.
Make a reservation, and make sure the price is within your means.
2. Prioritize yourself
Remember, don’t be so busy caring for others that you forget about yourself.
This is one of the most common causes of holiday stress.
While on vacation, you should also have fun.
Do activities that you enjoy, set aside time for yourself, and get enough rest.
3. Set a reasonable budget
The next tip to avoid holidays is to make serious budgeting to keep your financial condition safe after the holidays.
Also, avoid emotional spending or buying things that are not necessary.
It would help if you also remembered that forcing yourself to buy expensive items as gifts for others is not mandatory.
The important thing is that your intention and sincerity are conveyed.
4. Dare to say no
At the end of the year, you might receive many invitations from friends and family for various events.
It’s okay to say no if you feel mentally and physically exhausted.
Have the courage to say no by saying no firmly.
It’s better than going to all the events but feeling stressed and overtired when you return to work.
5. Organize your schedule
When approaching a vacation, improve your time management even more.
Make a schedule of when to rest, exercise, go out, do hobbies, etc.
According to Verywell Mind, exercising and walking while enjoying the sunshine can reduce stress levels.
By setting a schedule, at least you intend to do these activities.
Strong intentions and determination usually succeed in pushing yourself actually to do it.
6. Make time for meditation
Meditation doesn’t always have to be done in a planned manner, on a mat, wearing certain clothes, and so on.
You have to sit quietly and adjust your breathing so your mind can be calm.
Breathing techniques are essential to meditation, so even if it feels too easy and meaningless, regulating your breathing is very beneficial.
Aside from fulfilling the body’s need for oxygen, it also allows you to focus on what’s happening right now and not worry too much about what will happen.
7. Me time or hanging out with friends
Which of these two is more likely to bring you peace and happiness?
No one is better than the other because my time and hanging out with friends can reduce excess stress.
Me time can give you more time to yourself, rest, read books, and do other hobbies that you can’t do when you have to work and socialize with people.
Meanwhile, hanging out with friends can also cheer you up and make you feel less alone.
8. Take a Massage Session and Pamper Yourself
Many studies have revealed that massage can relieve stress and relax you.
Of course, with the right message, you can let go of all your burdens.
We advise getting a foot massage, which is believed to reduce stress quickly.
Because the soles of the feet are the centre of your entire body.
With a massage from an expert, you will feel the maximum results.
Trying Massage Call to your home, hotel, or villa is fine if you are in Bali.
This can reduce your stress load if you come to the spa or massage centre because you won’t need to be stuck in heavy Balinese traffic.
Jemari Bali can help you relieve stress while you are on vacation; a foot massage from our expert therapists for only Rp. 199,000/hour can eliminate your holiday stress.
